Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own any of the Harry Potter characters. Everything belongs to JK Rowling, and I'm merely allowed to play around with them. No copyright infringement is intended.
Another chapter dedicated to Leo, who caught the 100th review. Congratulations! :D Thanks to all my reviewers in general, of course. ;) I know on my profile, I said I'd update tomorrow, but here I am! Please go vote on my poll! Tell me if you'd like them to be married, with twenty children or... or dead, if you like. :p On with the story.
Chapter 24
-o-O-o-
July 29th 1978
Dear Diary,
I know I've been neglecting you as of late, but now, I'm faced with problems. All kinds of problems. And they generally revolve around one person:
Regulus.
I know I haven't talked much to you about him, just that he betrayed me, then came back, all about our 'relationship' and stuff…
The thing about our relationship is… It's over now.
Turns out he was a Death Eater, and I was desperately trying to save him when I couldn't. He joined when I deliberately told him not to.
Oops, I'll tell you later, McGonagall is coming.
Bye,
Hermione
-o-O-o-
August 4th 1978
Dear Diary,
I know I was supposed to tell you earlier, but I really didn't have the guts to face you just yet. Which is dumb, because you don't even have a face.
He knew what he was doing, and probably knew the reaction I was going to have, so he cowardly hid his Mark to keep me from ever finding out.
But I did. And it was his fault, too. He could have just kept his shirt on and I would have remained blissfully ignorant, for as long as he desired.
He played with me, used me, even, just for his own entertainment while he licked Voldemort's feet behind my back. I don't think I can ever forgive him for that.
Well, I'm tired of speaking about nothing but him, so I guess I'll just go.
Lots of love,
Hermione
-o-O-o-
August 15th 1978
Dear Diary,
I've got a couple of letters from my friends. They seemed thoughtful enough.
When I finished reading them, I thought of Regulus, and came up with an interesting fact: I can't change the timeline.
Basically, James and Lily will die in a couple of years, Regulus will too, Sirius will spend twelve years in Azkaban and Remus will go bankrupt.
And there's nothing I can do about it. It's depressing.
All that's left for me now is to try and go back to where I came from.
Goodnight, I feel tired,
Hermione
PS: I just got my Hogwarts letter. I'm Head Girl.
-o-O-o-
September 1st 1978
Dear Diary,
Today was the going back to Hogwarts day. I found out Regulus was Head Boy. What was Dumbledore thinking, giving a Death Eater such a status? I confronted him about it, and all he said was: "People can find redemption in regret."
I think it was his way of saying he was hoping we'd stitch up so he could go back to the light side. Whatever. I'm not going anywhere near him again.
I hope to God I won't dream of him,
Hermione
-o-O-o-
October 23rd 1978
Dear Diary,
I'm sorry I haven't written much lately. It's just that nothing has happened.
I still hate Regulus. I hate him for the same reasons. But somehow, I also hate myself for letting him come this close to me. I should have let him stay away. We would have hated each other, and things would have ended up fine for both of us.
Anyway, that's not what I wanted to talk about. I just got a letter from Lily, she and James are getting married in a couple of months. They want me to be bridesmaid, and I accepted. At least one fun thing is happening.
Days are flying by and I still have no idea how to go back to 1996. Dumbledore's not helping me either; he keeps saying it's impossible.
I feel as if the whole world is against me, but I know I'll survive.
Until next time,
Hermione
-o-O-o-
December 24th 1978
Dear Diary,
It's Christmas Eve, and James and Lily just got married. You should've seen the celebration, it was awesome! I'm happier than I have been in months! This proves that I don't need Regulus to be happy!
James confided in me after the celebration that he and Lily were talking kids… I want kids later. The only problem is: when is later? Here, or back in my timeline? Then again, another problem comes up: with whom?
My life is fairly confusing at the moment, what with me ignoring Regulus so much that I don't even go to Quidditch matches anymore!
And before anyone can say anything, I DO NOT regret ending it with him. He is a Death Eater and has to be treated as such. I will not do otherwise.
Bye,
Hermione
PS: Remus finally told me he was a werewolf. I laughed. It was all pretty funny.
-o-O-o-
January 1st 1979
Dear Diary,
Happy New Year! May every single one of your wishes come true! Then again, you're a diary, you don't have wishes…
I'm slightly tipsy while writing this, which explains my horrible handwriting… Sorry!
I'm staying at Sirius' place with Remus, since James and Lily moved out to Godric's Hollow… I'm alone at home with two desirable men… Then again, Mary is sharing Remus' bed so I might not go there.
But Sirius' is empty… I know I shouldn't be thinking this sort of stuff, but since I turned 18 a few months ago, I figured no man is out of my league now.
I asked Sirius to pop my cherry a couple of minutes ago and he replied something along the lines of: "Not while three litres of Firewhiskey pool in your veins." That's dumb, because I didn't drink three litres… I think.
Oh, well, I hope the hangover won't be bad tomorrow.
Goodnight,
Hermione
-o-O-o-
January 12th 1979
Dear Diary,
I'm back at school! I'm sorry about that last time I wrote to you, I wasn't feeling very well and… Well, you can guess what happened.
As for the popping my cherry part, it must have been one of the most embarrassing moments of my life.
Although, if I don't find anybody else, I think Sirius would make a good choice. For marriage, I mean. I always wanted a kid, at least a son, and Sirius could give me that. Then He'd go to Azkaban (which I can't help) and I'd be a dutiful wife and bring him treats every now and then.
We could even learn to love each other.
As I daydream, Professor Binns is bound to catch me writing, so I should best go. Bye!
Hermione
-o-O-o-
February 14th 1979
Dear Diary,
I hate Valentine's Day.
All these pink letters flying in all directions and singing beautiful love songs to other girls while I only get two! I mean, two real Valentines… Well one, since one of them was just a heart shaped card with nothing written inside…
I also got a couple of letters from the Marauders, wishing me happy Valentine's day. Sirius was the one who sent me the other Valentine… It was really cute, with a little poem inside, very Sirius-y:
'Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
Sugar is sweet,
And so are you!
I suck at poetry,
I didn't do this on my own,
You'll have to thank Moony,
While I disclaim: "I don't own!"
And while he rambles,
Let me just say,
My heart's in shambles,
When you're away!
Come back soon,
I'll kick Remus out,
He'll howl at the moon,
When all we do is shout.
As you can see,
I want you back,
Home here with me,
Wolf in the Shack!
Forget everything else,
It will all turn out fine,
And, as you can guess,
I'm asking you to be mine!'
I found it absolutely adorable! I told him we'd figure everything out when I come back… When I do, I'm probably going to accept his offer.
I actually like Valentine 's Day a bit better now!
Hermione
-o-O-o-
April 30th 1979
Dear Diary,
Yes, I know it's been a while. But truthfully, nothing has happened much these days, so I couldn't exactly do much. Or write much, anyway.
So, what I wanted to say is that Sirius, Remus, Mary, James, Peter and Lily have joined the Order of the Phoenix. Dumbledore invited me to come too, but I told him I'd wait.
All of that happened during the Easter holidays. I stayed a Sirius' place with Remus and Mary. One night, he managed to kick them out too and… well, we only had dinner, and he'd cooked something and was really cute, so… now we're back together. I hope he can make me forget about Regulus.
Gods, why does this single Death Eater plague my mind?! All we did was snog once in a while! And now… Now he ignores me too. His face is always unreadable when I walk by, although I'm pretty sure he regrets a lot too.
Sometimes, I wonder if we could have ended up together, Regulus and I… If, somewhere in the deepest archives of time, there is a story called 'Regulus Arcturus Black, Hermione Jean Granger; an Unwound Future'. That would be weird… But, then again it'd give me something to talk about.
I guess I've got to go back to class, and start revising for my N.E.W.T.'s.
Goodbye,
Hermione
-o-O-o-
June 12th 1979
Dear Diary,
This is N.E.W.T.'s week. I hope I'll do well in them; they represent my career, after all!
I've made a choice… I've accepted that going forward in time is impossible, so I'm just going to settle here. I've accepted to join the Order, and my first mission will take place sometime in July.
I'm just going to settle down with Sirius, live happily, visit him when he's in Azkaban, have a few children, raise them, fight for my husband's pardon and die next to him, happy and fulfilled. Nothing can get in the way of that.
Not even Regulus.
Not this time, I won't let him. He hurt me twice; I won't let him hurt me a third time. Maybe this sounds awfully selfish of me, but I'm done with him. I don't even want to hear his name ever again.
And just as an anecdote, if I possessed that book, 'Regulus Arcturus Black, Hermione Jean Granger; an Unwound Future', I'd burn it.
Goodbye, wish me luck.
Hermione
-o-O-o-
Thankfully for us, Hermione often goes back on her word. :) Please review!